This week enjoy family-friendly events and make a difference for local charities at the toy fair or while eating out. Gear up early for Easter and indulge your sweet tooth at the Greek bake sale. Then take in one of the most popular comics touring today or experience a true hip-hop legend at Lucky Bar. Plus…

GIVEAWAY ALERT: Win tickets to the Ultimate Hobby and Toy Fair this SUNDAY at Pearkes! Just comment below or email calendar@mondaymag.com (subject WIN) and tell us why you should win.

DINING OUT FOR LIFE – 65 restaurants and pubs on the island will donate 25% of your food bill to AIDS Vancouver Island this THURSDAY. Reservations are suggested and tell them you’re “Dining Out For Life”. 250-384-2366, leslie.robinson@avi.org, diningoutforlife.com/vancouverisland/restaurants.

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Get funky with it this weekend and support local DJ’s at the Sunset Room, take in Aussie hip hop group Bliss N Eso or check out the Island’s best musicians, SATURDAY at the Fort Cafe. There’s also a variety show for the kids to finish Spring Break strong, and an important breast cancer awareness event. Plus, once again…

GIVEAWAY ALERT: Win four tickets to Grease on Ice, or tickets to Celebrate Kids: A Variety Show for this weekend! Email calendar@mondaymag.com (subject WIN) or comment below and tell us why you should win.

GREASE ON ICE – Take a classic movie, throw in incredible talent, choreography and music and you have an amazing show that is sure to delight and entertain the whole family. SATURDAY 2pm and 7pm. Also SUNDAY 1pm at Archie Browning Sports Centre (1151 Esquimalt). $15. 250-412-8510, 250-412-8500, racquetclubofvictoria.com.

CELEBRATE KIDS: A VARIETY SHOW – A variety show for children with dancers, singers, martial arts and much more. Refreshments for sale. SUNDAY 2pm at the Centennial United Church (612 David). $2/$5. 250-384-6424, centen1@telus.net.

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St. Patrick’s Day is this weekend and there are tons of events around town to help you celebrate. The Maritime Museum is hosting a fun night with Cookeilidh and Battle of the Bridge is Victoria’s own MC competition supporing a local charity. For you festival fans, check out Josephina as part of the Spark Fest or the World Storytelling Festival events. Plus:

GIVEAWAY ALERT:Win tickets to at the Maritime Museum’s event! Email calendar@mondaymag.com (subject WIN) or comment below and tell us why you deserve the luck o’ the Irish this weekend.

MUSIC FROM THE SHAMROCK SHORE: A ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION WITH COOKEILIDH – Set in our beautifully restored 19th century Courtroom, enjoy traditional jigs and sing-alongs to bring out the Irish in all of us! Also get your feet tapping with special guests the O’Connor O’Brien Irish Dancers. It will be a night to truly remember. FRIDAY 7:30at the Maritime Museum (28 Bastion Square). $12. mmbc.bc.ca.

BATTLE OF THE BRIDGE 7: HUNGRY FOR BEEF: Sixteen emcees, and only one can be left standing as the new Battle Of The Bridge Freestyle Champ. Food drive and MC battle benefitting the Mustard Seed. SATURDAY 2pm at Incite Screen Printing (2514 Douglas). $3/$5. battleofthebridge@gmail.com.

JOSEPHINA: A shockingly beautiful, sexy, funny, and mysterious piece of physical theatre about a man and a woman: is it the story of a perfect, passionate couple, or a shattered one? TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY 8pm at Metro Studio (1411 Quadra). $17-$23. sparkfestival.com.

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This weekend support local skaters in memory of James Lindsay and have the chance to win prizes at a a silent auction all while rockin’ out to DJ Squantos at Lucky Bar. Or get some tips on ecologically-friendly wine practices at Flights and Light Bites. Plus…

FLIGHTS AND LIGHT BITES: Sustainable Wines – Sommelier Stuart Brown of Trialto Wine Group will take you through the rising trend and practices of making sustainable wines around the world. SATURDAY 4pm at Hotel Grand Pacific (463 Belleville). $20 plus tax. 250-380-4478.

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Whether you represent the West or East Coast, take in some good music this week. Down With Webster is repping T.O. and the Folk West show brags many local musicians. Or start the day with health at the Holistic Wellness Fair and move on to the Beer Fest – there really is something for everyone! Of course remember to wear pink this Wednesday to take a stand against bullying.

Plus, we have tickets to the Beer Fest, Wellness Fair and the Spoken Word Fest to get you started this weekend! Just email calendar@mondaymag.com (Subject WIN) , or comment below and tell us why you should win!

DOWN WITH WEBSTER – Not easily classifiable, DWW employs elements of rock, hip-hop, funk music and just about everything in between in their recordings and high-energy live shows. THURSDAY 7:30pm at the McPherson (3 Centennial Square). $45. rmts.bc.ca. See article in this week’s issue of Monday.

Red Umbrella Rally – Sex workers and their allies march to the Legislature building to protest laws and unjust policing that prevent sex workers from reporting violence. Wear red and bring a red umbrella. SATURDAY noon at Government and Discovery. Free. 250-891-1942.

Our Place Christmas meal – The Our Place Society will serve approximately 1200 people a festive turkey dinner with all the trimmings. TUESDAY 11:30am-5pm at the Our Place Society Dining Room (919 Pandora). Free.
Wed. Dec. 21

Committee to End Homelessness – A candlelight ceremony to honour those on the street who have died in the last year. WEDNESDAY 4:30pm at the Whale Wall between Pandora and Johnson. Free. 250-480-4854.

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Get your shopping done with craft fairs galore, or indulge your charitable side with a fundraising breakfast at Stuff the Stocking or decorating binge at Arts & Crafts for a Cause. There’s no excuse for boredom with this weeks events.

Stuff the Stocking – Come enjoy a cup of cheer, some festive breakfast treats, and the sounds of beautiful Christmas music in the Grand Lounge.The Cridge Centre stocking will be hung and ready to be stuffed with your donation to support The Cridge Respitality Service. FRIDAY 7:30-10:30am at The Cridge Centre for the Family (1307 Hillside). By donation. 250-995-6412.

Arts & Crafts for a Cause – The GVPL has partnered with Vancouver Island’s Everybody Deserves a Smile (EDAS) group on their “Kindness Care Packages” campaign. Help the GVPL by decorating a gift bag for a local homeless person and/or donating any of the following items for the gift bags: toques, mittens, wool socks, tooth brushes, tooth paste and scarves. New items only. Gift bags will be given to members of the Greater Victoria homeless community in January by EDAS. Donations will be accepted during all hours of opening from December 10-24 at participating branches. FRIDAY & SATURDAY 10am-6pm at the Juan de Fuca Branch (1759 Island Highway), SATURDAY 10am-6pm at the Nellie McClung Branch (3950 Cedar Hill) & Central Branch (735 Broughton). To Dec. 18. edas.ca.

Christmas Craft & Rummage Sale – Home made Christmas crafts, baking, preserves and many gently used rummage sale items. FRIDAY 10am-2pm at the Fairfield United Church (1303 Fairfield). Free. fairfieldunited.ca.